Processing of tissue or paper and the product obtained thereby



Patented Feb. 21, 1939 I 2,147,889

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROCESSING OF TISSUE OR. PAPER AND THEPRODUCT OBTAINED THEREBY James I. Gardiner and John Barnes, SanFrancisco, Calii., assignors of one-third to Charles F. W. Nichols,Chicago, Ill.

No Drawing. Application July 8, 1937, Serial N0. 152,528

Claims. (or. m ss) Our present invention relates to the processingtissue suitable for use as cigarette wrappers, the of tissue or paperand the product secured therecombustibility of which will not continueand by, and has peculiar application to the processing promotecombustion in the cigarette during inof tissue employed as wrappers forcigarettes, tervals when the cigarette is not actually drawn 5 althoughit may be employed with advantage in upon in the operation of smoking. 5

the processing of any tissue, the intended uses We have had as a furtherobject the improveof which would not be incompatible with, and ment ofthe tobacco flavor of cigarettes by matemight be enhanced by, retardedcombustibilty. rially reducing the highly volatile products of Inconnection with cigarette wrappers the pacombustion produced from thevery readily comper has never been considered as a desirable adbustiblecigarette wrappers now in universal 10 dition to the cigarette, and themanufacturers employment. of cigarette papers and the manufacturers oi.As a third object of our invention we have decigarettes have soughtcontinuously, so far as sired to obtain the foregoing objects withoutimwe are at present advised, to produce a'product parting an additionalperceptible flavor to the 5 of minimum physical bulk which would becomcharacter and quality of the smoke. The elepletely combustible andwould leave a minimum ment we employ unquestionably burns, but the ofash. The residual ash, of course, is innocuamount thereof employed inrelation to the bulk ous to the smoker and the reduction of the bulk ormass of the paper is so relatively small that or substance or mass ofthe paper necessarily the only noticeable result of smoking a cigarettealso results in a reduction of the volatile eleprovided with ourprocessed wrapper is the ab- 20 ments created when the paper and tobaccoburn. sence of the volatile elements of the combustion The presentpractice, as above outlined, reof the paper which were always heretoforepresduces the amount of volatile products of the coment, although to agreater or less extent disrebustion of the tissue cigarette wrapper butdoes garded by cigarette smokers.

not otherwise materially reduce its noxious char- We have attained theforegoing objects and 25 acter which is always, to a greater or lessextent, results in the following manner: a very complicated producthaving acrid and We prepare an aqueous solution of albumen unpleasantcharacteristics when drawn into the which may differ very greatly instrength. We oral and nasal cavities. The present practice, regard theaddition of about one-third by volume which we believe is universal,results in the proof water to the albumen of an egg as it comes 30duction of a cigarette paper which is extremely from the shell as aboutright. But a much larger combustible, and which causes the continuousaddition of water may be made with the nearly combustion of itself andthe tobacco which it complete elimination of smoke between puffsencloses during the intervals when the smoker is from the cigarette andafter smoking is disconnot smoking the cigarette. In other words, atinued. A greater concentration of albumen 35 cigarette continues toburn and smoke between may also be employed withoutimparting acharintervals in its actual smoking and after the acteristic flavor tothe smoking of the completed residuum of the cigarette has beendiscarded, cigarette. whereas pipe tobacco especially, and cigarette Itshould be stated, however, that what we retobacco also, if itscombustion were not enhanced gard as the suitable principle for thedetermina- 40 by the paper wrapper, will immediately start to tion ofthe volume of the aqueous content is the go out and is not capable ofcontinuing combusproduction of a fluid of such fluidity as will mosttion in the absence of the draft supplied in the readily accomplishthorough impregnation of smoking operation. the paper or tissue wrapper.The paper, after It will be immediately seen that if the paperimpregnation, is advantageously permitted to 45 employed in cigaretteswill not promote continudry to some extent and then pressed between onecombustion during the time the cigarette is heated or cool, as may bedesired, smoothing or not actually being drawn upon, a much largerironing rollers. An additional burnishing or impercent or proportion ofsmoking is conserved parting of a gloss to our processed paper rendersfor the enjoyment of the smoker and the interthe product noticeablydifferent from the present 50 vening combustion of the cigarette, aswell as cigarette wrappers upon the market. The imflre hazard, by reasonof the presence of a selfparting of such a gloss under presentcircumcontinuing combustion is very materially reduced stances istherefore not desirable, but it in no and practically eliminated. wayaffects the chemical and physical action of 5 It has therefore been ourobject to produce a the treated product.

It will be noticed that in smoking cigarettes provided with papers orwrappers processed as hereinbefore described, the smoking of thecigarette between puffs, or when it is laid asidemomentarily, is verymaterially reduced and ceases almost instantly when the actual drawingupon the cigarette has been discontinued. If the cigarette has beensmoked rapidly so as to develop an appreciable amount of ignited glowingtobacco the combustion in thisamount of ignited glowing tobacco willtake the usual time to subside, but such combustion is notself-continuing as with the cigarettes as they are at present made.

If the cigarette with tissue wrapper impregnated as hereinbeforedescribed has not been rapidly smoked so as to create a considerablemass of glowing tobacco it may be laid directly upon the varnished topof a desk or upon papers without the least fear of scorching thematerial or causing a fire.

It may develop that albumen has been employed as a sizing element forpaper, but it is pointed out that the sizing of paper is for the purposeof affecting its appearance, Whereas our process is not intended toaffect the appearance in any respect but affects its qualities andoperation during the combustion and we employ far less material than isnecessary to constitute a satisfactory size.

-It is also pointed out that our approach to the problem of eliminationof objectionable features in the combustion of paper or tissue isdirectly opposite to the present procedure as the present practice,while reducing bulk and mass strives to attain a ready and completecombustion, whereas it is our object to delay and retard combustionexcept to the extent necessary in the consumption of the tobacco as apleasure or pastime. 5

Having described our invention what we claim is new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. The process of treating a cigarette wrapper in an aqueous solution ofalbumen and the drying and smoothing of such treated tissue. 1

2. The process of treating a tissue suitable for use as a cigarettewrapper in a solution consisting of the white of an egg as it comes fromthe shell to which has been added a third, by volume, of water, and thedrying and smoothing of such 1 treated tissue.

3. A tissue suitable for use as a wrapper for cigarettes containing asufilcient amount of albumen to prevent the tissue from continuingcombustion of the cigarette during intervals between and after theactual smoking of the cigarette.

4. A cigarette having a wrapper containing a suflicient amount ofalbumen to prevent the tissue from continuing combustion of thecigarette during intervals between and after the actual smoking of thecigarette.

5. The process of treating a tissue for retarding the combustibilitythereof comprising the application thereto of a combustion retardantconsisting of an aqueous solution of albumen and 3 the drying andsmoothing of such treated tissue.

JAMES I. GARDINER. JOHN BARNES.

